A one-block plot of land in Elmira's Near Westside neighborhood holds a wealth of history.

The Second Street Cemetery serves as the final resting place for Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Civil War soldiers, members of some of the city's founding families, and workers on the railroads that brought Elmira to life.

Among headstones that date back to the early 1800s lay stone steps believed to have helped visitors get back onto their horses and into their carriages. Many of the trees on the property are just as old, their roots extending across the ground for several feet.

But after years of repeated vandalism and a lack of upkeep, the cemetery's early grandeur has evaporated.

Many of the cemetery's 436 tombstones are cracked in half or tipped over, laying on the ground. Others have disappeared and are unaccounted for. Rotted trees dot the landscape. The grounds are fenced in, locked and empty of visitors, save for the occasional city maintenance worker.

An effort by the Near Westside Neighborhood Association, supported by the city and spearheaded by the organization's historian, seeks to change that.

"Cemeteries are just a massive preserved archive," said Bryan Bernardi, who received the keys to the cemetery three weeks ago. "You have someone from the time period right in front of you. It's as close to time travel as you can get."

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Many of the headstones in Second Street Cemetery are cracked in half. Those that can be repaired will be fixed during an upcoming restoration effort.(Photo: Amanda Renko / Staff photo)

Large-scale restoration efforts were previously undertaken in the 1940s and 1980s, but ongoing maintenance eventually fell to the wayside, and vandals have knocked down headstones over the years. This time, Bernardi says he will serve as the cemetery's superintendent and, with the help of the city and volunteers, keep up the grounds.

He's also working on compiling information about the cemetery and its inhabitants, with the aim of eventually digitizing his research.

Over 800 of the remains in the cemetery are unmarked, which Bernardi said may make it difficult to account for everyone. The cemetery contains a "potter's field" where those who couldn't afford headstones were placed, as well as an unmarked area for members of St. Patrick's Parish.

Many of the remains at Second Street were exhumed from their original location — where Wisner Park is now — sometime in the early 1800s to make way for what is now Main Street, Bernardi said. Some remains have been exchanged between Second Street and Woodlawn Cemetery, while others were moved elsewhere by relatives.

But several of the people who remain are historically significant. Bernardi plans to purchase military markers for the graves of soldiers from the Revolutionary War, Civil War and War of 1812. Members of some of Elmira's founding families, including the Wisners, Arnots and Fassetts, will eventually become part of an interactive display that connects the families with their still-standing residences.

A large monument already stands for two New York and Erie Railroad employees who were killed on the job.

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A copy of an old map denoting the locations of remains in the Second Street Cemetery.(Photo: Amanda Renko / Staff photo)

Not all of the markers can be easily repaired, but every fix that's possible will be made, Bernardi said. Some of the headstones just need to be propped back up and stabilized. Others will need to be resealed and reinforced. All will receive a gentle pressure-washing.

A center courtyard area will receive two new flagpoles, rotted trees will be removed and new ones planted, and refurbished pathways will lead to new entrances.

City employees currently mow the site and will continue to do so, lending a hand where necessary to help with other tasks around the cemetery, said Councilman Brent Stermer, D-2nd District. The project will also tie in with ongoing revitalization efforts in the neighborhoods surrounding downtown and create a sense of pride, hopefully deterring vandals, he said.

"I think just someone being in there and taking care of it — we haven't had that in a long time," he said. "I think getting people there will be a good form of security in itself."

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Intricate headstones lay on the ground of Elmira's Second Street Cemetery. The symbols on early headstones represented different causes of death, said cemetery superintendent Bryan Bernardi.(Photo: Amanda Renko / Staff photo)

Bernardi hopes to split the cemetery into four quadrants and complete work on one section each year. The Near Westside Neighborhood Association will be looking for volunteer groups and individuals to help with the work, as well as monetary and material donations. Northrup Memorials of Elmira has offered its crane truck to help lift some of the heavier stone, which can approach two tons in weight.

Once work is done, the Second Street Cemetery would be open for arranged tours and special events, such as ghost tours around Halloween. Ultimately, Bernardi says the project is a way to protect and preserve Elmira's rich history.

"If we let that go to waste, what foundation are we building from?" he said. "In order to progress, you have to know where you came from."

For more information on the Second Street Cemetery's restoration plans, visit www.historicssc.org.